PROMises To Keep
by Gorn on the sofa
Summary: My take on missing scenes from "The Prom Equivalency." Warning: extreme spoilers from the episode.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** The Big Bang Theory is owned, and is the property of many people, of which, I am not one.

**_A/N_**: I'm sure _"The Prom Equivalency" _will be an episode to launch a thousand fan fics, so I'm here to offer mine. The story is complete, but I will be posting it in chapters.

**_A/N_**: Not all the dialog is accurate to the episode. I've taken some creative license.

_**PROMises To Keep**_

_**1**_

Amy stood before the mirror in Penny's apartment, smoothing down the pale aqua fabric of her dress's skirt, fidgeting with the neckline. She'd never worn anything so revealing, and while part of her reveled in the image of seductress reflected back at her, her innate modesty made Amy feel as though she was standing there naked. _What is Sheldon going to think?_ she wondered. Would he be oblivious of her clothing, as he so often was? Would he be appalled at her flaunting her cleavage? Especially in front of the males of their social group? Amy had dressed for Sheldon, but if she garnered a second look from her friends, she wouldn't object.

There was a knock on the bathroom door. "Ames? How are you doing in there? Do you need some help with your makeup?"

Taking a deep breath, casting one last glance into the mirror, Amy opened the door. "I would love your expert opinion on . . ." Before she could finish her sentence, the door was flung open and Penny stood in front of her, mouth gaping.

"Amy! You look beautiful! Look at you hiding that body away under all those layers!" Amy felt the beginnings of a blush and looked away. Penny's reaction was almost better than what she hoped Sheldon's would be. Almost. "What a great color on you!" Penny continued to enthuse. "Come on," she said, taking Amy by the wrist and dragging her into the kitchen. "The light's better out here. Let's turn this wallflower into a bouquet!"

"Don't get too carried away," Amy said, brushing her recently curled hair over her shoulder. "I want Sheldon to recognize me." She thought a moment, then added, "Although, if you want to make me the hottest woman at the dance—after you of course—I wouldn't object." Penny was biting her lip as she pulled out a compact of eye shadow.

"You'll be smokin'."

It was hard to sit still as Penny worked her magic, first with her eyes, then moving onto foundation and blush. "Are you going to get dressed soon?"

"In a minute," Penny said, her mouth hanging slightly open as she applied color to Amy's lips. "Someone was hogging the bathroom," she teased. "Would you like some gloss?"

Amy resisted the urge to shake her head while Penny worked on her. "Um, I better not. You know how Sheldon feels about lip gloss."

Penny took a step back, placing her free hand on her hip. "Yeah, I do. He says it makes your mouth look too slippery. Which is why I totally think you should do it. How do you think he's going to react to that dress?"

Looking first down at her exposed bosom, then back up at her lipstick-wielding friend, Amy felt herself frown. "That's just it. I don't know what he's going to say. I know what I'd _like_ him to say. 'Wow,' or 'that's a nice dress, Amy,'" she said, slumping on the stool she was perched on. "Instead I'll probably get, 'What are you wearing?' And his voice will continue to raise into that affronted screech. Then he'll tell me to march back into your apartment and put something decent on."

"Got it all figured out, have you?" Penny said with a smirk.

"Come on, Penny. You know Sheldon! What do you think my chances are of getting a 'you look nice' out of him will be?"

Biting her lip again, Penny shot a glance at Amy, clearly trying to think of something positive to say. "Welllll, maybe he won't notice?"

"Which would be even worse," she sighed. Suddenly, Amy straightened her posture, sitting taller. "You know what? Screw Sheldon! I'm not going to have two disappointing proms in my life. He can take my appearance as it is, or he can leave it!"

"You go, Girl!" Penny said, as she reached for a tube of lip gloss. "Put this on. Sheldon Cooper isn't going to know what hit him."

xxxxxx

Sheldon stood before the mirror in his bathroom, working up the row of tiny pearled buttons on his tuxedo shirt. The suit purchase had cost him a fortune at the time of Howard's wedding, but he refused to wear a garment someone else had worn. Now look at him! Getting a second use out of an outfit he was sure would never see the light of day—or night as the case may be. _It might see a third use some day,_ the voice in his head reminded him. Sheldon shook himself. He didn't need _that_ thought plaguing him at this moment.

From the time this ridiculous notion of a prom had come up among his friends, Sheldon had had no peace. From the thought of all the physical closeness he would be forced to endure, to the mental image of Amy dolled up and expectant, his mind had room for little else. In a way, he was glad the fateful night had arrived, because _now_ maybe he'd be able to concentrate on work once more.

He'd asked Amy what color her dress was, because Leonard told him men often tried to coordinate their cummerbunds to match that of their date's dress. He'd railed for a full ten minutes on how this was supposed to be a formal dance, not a wedding, as Leonard just shook his head and eventually left the room. Amy had tittered when he'd asked about her dress and coyly offered she wanted him to be surprised when he saw her the night of the prom.

Well, here it finally was, and including feeling annoyed, he also found himself beating back an army of butterflies in his stomach. He had to remember to tell Amy she looked nice, whether she did or not. Although how she _couldn't _look nice was beyond him. Amy always looked nice. Sometimes _too_ nice, as he was discovering more and more.

Raj had been the first to walk him through prom etiquette, although he himself had never been to one. He claimed he was an expert compared to Sheldon, because he'd at least _watched_ "_Pretty In Pink_." Then came Leonard who'd had some convoluted discussion with him about corsages. Even Wolowitz weighed in. As if _he_ could give any useful advice. He purposely didn't tell his mother about the dance because she would want every detail. From what the decorations were like to what Amy and everyone else wore. The requests for pictures would be endless. Maybe if something from the photo booth the girls were planning yielded a positive result, he'd email it to her after the fact.

Sheldon had reached the top button and he looked up to see his face in the mirror. The harsh, florescent lighting was doing nothing for his visage. There were beads of sweat on his forehead and upper lip, glistening there as if mocking him. He'd made many a derisive comment about his friends actually getting caught up in the absurdity of a post-high school prom. And yet, here he was, so nervous his normally pale features looked positively bloodless.

Taking a tissue, Sheldon mopped his brow and lips and stared into his widened eyes with a stern expression, admonishing himself. "Get a hold of yourself, Cooper! She's nothing you haven't seen before!"

Sheldon checked his watch and realized he'd better get a move on. Leonard still needed to knot his tie, he had to make sure his flask was filled, and he had to practice sounding sincere when he told Amy her appearance was pleasing. It was just so hard to tell her she was attractive when her physical attributes came second to the beauty of her mind.

Stepping out of the bathroom, Sheldon was already pulling on his collar. He was sure when he'd purchased the shirt there had been plenty of room in the neck, but tonight everything seemed to be constricted from his shirt to his lungs, which couldn't seem to draw a decent breath.

Sheldon spotted Leonard by his computer and wordlessly handed him his tie. Standing, and heaving a sigh, Leonard took the strip of cloth and reached up to loop it around Sheldon's neck. Without asking, Sheldon bent his knees to facilitate the arrangement of his tie, but Leonard wasn't working on making a knot. He was staring at Sheldon as if he'd sprouted another head.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked, scrutinizing his roommate.

Sheldon swallowed. "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

Leonard returned to his task. "Well, for one thing you look like death warmed over."

"You can't warm up death, Leonard." Sheldon pointed out.

"Well, if it was possible, you're what it would look like. Are you that nervous about tonight? You really don't have to be," he said, wrapping the lengths of the tie around each other. "It's just us, looking a little fancier than we normally do."

That's what he was afraid of. He counted on Amy looking a certain way, under several layers. Most fancy dresses he'd seen seemed to go out of their way to showcase a woman's figure. Especially their bust. He didn't know if he could handle seeing any portion of Amy's bosom. Just the thought had him taking several quick breaths.

"Calm down! You're not helping things, here!" Leonard fussed some more then added, "If you're not going to learn how to do this yourself, they make some pretty decent clip-ons, these days."

Sheldon heard himself making some comment about Bruce Wayne and Alfred, but his mind was on auto-pilot as he went about the task of filling his flask with pomegranate juice. The sooner this night began, the sooner it would be over. And the sooner he saw Amy, the sooner he could stop envisioning her alluring form as if she were wrapped in tissue paper. Which brought up another mental image for him.

"Oh, dear Lord," he mumbled under his breath, licking dry lips and swallowing once more.

Sliding his arms into his suit coat, Leonard looked over at Sheldon, brow wrinkled in concern. "And just because all your friends are having sex, that doesn't mean you have to."

Sheldon's breath took another hit. "Why would you say that?"

Leonard was moving around, and his gaze wouldn't settle. "Well, prom night is when a lot of kids loose their virginity. Like I said, that doesn't mean _you_ have to."

"But you said it like it's expected! A tradition! Like slow dancing, getting our picture taken together, being elected prom King. . . ." It seemed impossible for his heart to beat any faster, but Sheldon felt his speed up nonetheless.

"You sure you're okay? Because if this is causing you this much stress, you don't have to go through with it. I'm sure Amy would understand."

Sheldon closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. That was the trouble. He knew Amy _would _concede to his wishes just to make him happy, but in the process, she would sacrifice all the hard work she and Bernadette's had put in, just to accommodate him. He wasn't going to let her down.

"I'm fine. I'll be fine," he said, silently repeating the mantra in his mind as he slipped on his tuxedo jacket.

"Okay," Leonard said with a shrug, then a bright smile. "Here we go!" Opening the apartment door, they crossed the short distance to Penny's. As her door opened, Sheldon saw a blur of red which only vaguely registered with him must be Penny. Instead, his gaze was riveted on the second woman. She was barely recognizable as his girlfriend. Amy's hair was curled, falling in soft waves around her shoulders, her eyes accented with shadow and mascara. And there was the dreaded lip gloss, making her lips look all the more appealing.

But that wasn't the worst of it. Although her pale aqua gown was modestly cut, complete with a shrug that hid her slightly hunched shoulders, the sweetheart neckline revealed more of Amy's skin than he'd ever seen. He didn't count when she'd been sick. He'd been performing a duty. This was different. This was Amy dressing up for herself, and for him.

Amy's gaze traveled the length of him, and she was twisting slightly back and forth. "Sheldon, you look so handsome!"

Penny's arm was around her fiancé's shoulder in the remnant of the hug they'd just shared. "What do you think, Sheldon? Doesn't Amy look hot? That should put some starch in the upper fleurman."

Sheldon swallowed once more, feeling himself beginning to perspire. She looked amazing, but he couldn't tell her that because his voice had deserted him. Amy looked up at him expectantly, waiting for the compliment she deserved.

"I. . .I can't do this," he said, making an about face and marching back towards the safety of his apartment, all the while praying he hadn't ruined his relationship with Amy forever.


	2. Chapter 2

**_2_**

Amy stood on the threshold of Penny's apartment, speechless. Really, what had she expected? She should have realized it was too good to be true that Sheldon Cooper would consent to something as sentimental as a prom do-over.

Amy watched Penny nudge Leonard, who, to his credit, took only a second before he announced, "You look lovely, Amy."

Trying to muster a smile at the compliment, Amy nodded in his direction, while continuing to stare at the closed door to 4A. "Thank you, Leonard."

There was an awkward silence, then Leonard said, "Maybe I should go see if he's okay. . . ." He was about to return home when Amy stopped him.

"No. I'll do it. I need to know what happened from the time I last spoke to him until now. I know he wasn't crazy about the idea, but he didn't seem totally opposed to it either. You two go on up. The others should be here soon."

Leonard stood at the base of the stairs, fingers twisting as he glanced at Penny. Amy understood he wasn't sure what the best course of action was. She herself was wondering what the best way to approach this latest wrinkle in her relationship with Sheldon.

"Come on," Penny said, gesturing towards the stairs with her head, sliding her hand into Leonard's. "Let's take advantage of some alone time on the roof." Leonard gave Amy one last quick look before enthusiastically accepting Penny's invitation.

Amy watched her friends ascend the stairs, and released a sigh. A part of her envied Penny for the doting fiancé she had in Leonard, but she wouldn't trade Sheldon for the world. Some of his behaviors, maybe. . . . With that though, she inhaled deeply and went to see what had set Sheldon off this time.

The apartment was dim, just the light of the lamp next to Sheldon's spot, and the illumination from the hallway. She called out as she headed towards the corridor.

"Sheldon? Where are you?" There was no answer, but as she rounded the corner by the bathroom, she could see light seeping from beneath his bedroom door. Knocking, she called out, "Can I come in?"

His voice was breathy, coming in short little bursts. "I don't think that's a good idea. According to an online message board, I might be having a panic attack. Soccer Mom 09 had similar symptoms." Then, to confuse the issue even further, he started going on about some mother whose twins had been a "handful."

"You're making me worry," she said, truly wondering where all this anxiety was suddenly coming from. "What's going on?"

Sheldon continued. "What's going on is we're about to go to a prom. There's a great deal of pressure on young couples like us to engage, as Mr. Bob Eubanks referred to as, 'making whoopee.'"

Amy shook her head. "What pressure? All I said was you look handsome. Can you please open the door?" She could hear rustling, the squeak of bed springs, then his voice sounding closer. He must be just on the other side of his door, she reasoned.

"It's not just that," he sighed. "Leonard and Penny also made comments about it. And I'm not blind. Even I looked twice when I saw my posterior in these tuxedo pants."

Knowing Sheldon as she did, Amy realized there was going to be a lot of superfluous information to sift through before she got to the root of his dilemma, and to be honest, she didn't know if she had the patience.

She'd been so excited all day, and this latest twist was starting to be too much. From putting the finishing touches on the decorations, to Penny making her up, to the giddy thoughts she had of spending a romantic evening with Sheldon, she'd been on an adrenaline high, and now, with his reticence, she was beginning to feel the inevitable "crash" looming on the horizon. She wasn't going to allow that. Screw Sheldon Cooper. She'd put too much time and effort into this night to have it be over before it began.

Staring at his door, Amy spoke just loud enough for him to hear. "Sheldon, this is silly. I'm not missing another prom. I'm going upstairs now. Good-bye." As she turned to go, Amy heard the door open and heard his voice clearly.

"I really did think you looked pretty."

Amy couldn't quite believe what she'd just heard. Had he just. . . .! Her voice was soft, full of disbelief. "You did?"

Sheldon stood in his doorway, his gaze darting about, only occasionally settling on her. "Yes," he exhaled. "So much so that I started to panic."

His touching words squeezed her heart. "Well you can relax. Just because you think I look pretty doesn't mean we have to spend the night together."

"Where you hoping we would because it's prom?"

"I'm _always_ hoping." Sheldon licked his lips, and looked down at the floor. "But tonight I just wanted to have a nice time with you. Maybe dance with someone who has arms."

Looking back up at her, he said, "Thank you for understanding."

Moving closer, Amy felt the flutter around her heart starting to squeeze. "Of course I understand," she said. Hesitating, Amy wondered if now was the time to confess all she'd been feeling lately. How despite his sometimes exasperating behavior, she loved him. She loved his intelligence, his quirky wit, his often surprising compassion. Showing a softer side when she least expected it. All of it. And, to be honest, his physical being as well. From his pale skin to his lanky limbs. Sheldon Cooper was the whole package.

Taking a small step towards him, she tried to admit to her feelings, but the words were coming out jumbled, and the more she tried to express herself, the more disjointed her confession became.

"Sheldon, there's something else I've been wanting to say, but before I do, I just want you to know that you don't have to say it back, I know you're not ready, I don't want you to say it back because social convention dictates. . ."

"I love you, too." Everything suddenly stopped. Blood was pounding in her ears, her heart began beating so wildly, Amy couldn't be sure she wasn't having a heart attack. Sheldon Lee Cooper just admitted to loving her!

Somehow, Amy found her voice. "You said it," she breathed, still unable to wrap her head around the four words Sheldon had just spoken.

"There's no denying that I have feelings for you that can't be explained in any other way. I briefly considered that I had a brain parasite," he said, causing her brow to wrinkle. "But that seemed even more far-fetched." Sheldon's shoulders gave a slight shrug. "The only conclusion was love."

Amy didn't think it was possible, but the pulse in her ears seemed even louder, as she struggled to breathe. _This isn't happening_ her addled brain was telling her, and yet, there he stood, looking at her with so much tenderness she thought she would die of happiness. Involuntarily, her hand moved to her chest, as if the fingers over her lungs would help facilitate catching a breath.

Sheldon stood before her, unmoving, concern etched across his features. "I know what's happening!" he cried, excited as if he'd been playing a game and had the answer before the other players. "This is a panic attack! Soccer Mom 09 says to lie down with your feet elevated."

Amy nodded, muttering "Okay," as she dashed for Sheldon's bed. She was about to lie down when his protest began.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Just because I love you doesn't mean girls are allowed in my room!" Amy stared back at him. _Was he serious? She was in the middle of an emotional crisis and he was sticking by his stupid rules? How many times did she have to be in his room before his ridiculous dictates no longer applied?_

Standing in the door way, Sheldon gestured for her to move along out of his sanctuary. When she stood frozen, he snapped his fingers, repeating his hand movements indicating she was to leave. Her brain was on automatic and she headed towards the living room, landing on the first piece of furniture she knew she could lie down on. instinctively, she started for her spot in the middle of the sofa, but suddenly, there was Sheldon, on the periphery of her vision, taking her hand. Silently, he moved the striped cushion from his spot around to rest against the arm of the couch.

"Lie down," he instructed, and supported her as she moved to a reclining position, all the while staring at him in disbelief. _Can this really be happening? Sheldon said he loved me _and_ he's letting me lie in his spot?_ Although she'd been chased from his room, resting in his spot seemed even more intimate. This is where he "lived." Most of his life was conducted from this spot, and for him to share it with her had Amy's heart fluttering again.

Once she was settled back, Sheldon took a seat somewhere between Bernadette's place and her own, lifting her legs onto his lap. Amy was still struggling to breathe, but didn't feel quite so light headed. Sheldon kept darting looks at her, but wouldn't meet her gaze. To be honest, she was feeling a little shy as well. After a confession like that, where did they go from here?

Amy was just starting to feel a little more like herself, when she felt Sheldon's fingers on her ankles, and another shot of adrenaline zinged through her. She wasn't sure if his movements were calculated or random, but they were turning her into a puddle of goo. Amy didn't know how much more she could take. Declarations of love, physical contact without negotiation, had Amy wondering if an alien _hadn't_ replaced her boyfriend.

Sheldon licked his lips and gave her a sidelong glance. Clearing his throat, he addressed her, still not making eye contact. "Amy, I didn't tell you I loved you to distract you from going to the prom. But now that the 'cat is out of the bag,' so to speak, I'm not sure I want to attend the dance with this hanging over our heads."

Pushing herself upright, Amy stared at the man next to her, who still hadn't really looked at her since they'd come to the living room. "Sheldon, while this is a major milestone in our relationship, nothing has to change. I _told_ you I don't expect. . . ." Her voice trailed off. She couldn't seem to make herself say the word 'sex,' and she refused to use 'coitus.' She gave a little cough. "I don't expect us to have. . .relations. All I want is to have a chance to dance with you and share an evening with our friends."

Now Sheldon turned to face her. "But don't you see? How can we do that now? It's going to be all over your face and one of your hens is going to insist on knowing why you look so happy! The first thing you're likely to do is run up to Penny and tell her how romantic I am!"

Amy bit her lip to keep her smile at bay. While a part of her wanted to literally shout from the rooftop that Sheldon Cooper loved her, and he'd told her the night of prom, no less, she'd never class Sheldon as a 'romantic.'

"I promise I won't say anything to Penny."

"You say that now!" he exclaimed, "But you know how she is! And once Bernadette and Emily jump on the bandwagon you'll be powerless to resist their evil influence! They'll wheedle the truth out of you before you can say Sheldon Cooper is the best boyfriend ever.'"

"Sheldon, I hardly think the moment Penny sees me she's going to leap to the conclusion you confessed your feelings for me."

Sheldon jumped slightly. "You don't know that! You're glowing like a Christmas tree bulb! She's bound to suspect something!" Putting her hand to her cheek, Amy did indeed feel the warmth there. Maybe he was right, she thought. She _felt_ like she was glowing, but was it really that obvious her world had shifted on its axis?

"If it'll make you feel better, I'll sign something stating under. . . .penalty of whatever. . . .I won't tell Penny tonight."

"Ah ha!" he pounced. "I knew it! First chance you get after tonight you're going to run to her and blab the whole thing!"

Amy inhaled, and tried to form a cogent argument, but it wasn't easy to think with his hands still fondling her ankles. "Sheldon, this is a big deal for me! Surely you can't expect me to keep this a secret forever?"

Sagging a little Sheldon nodded. "I can see how telling the world that you've captured the heart of Sheldon Cooper would be something you could lord over them." He looked up then, gazing squarely into her eyes. "But _please, _Amy! Not tonight!"

"Sheldon, I already told you. Tonight it's our secret. Something only you and I will share."

He nodded, then out of the blue said, "I think we should end our date."

Amy leaned in closer. "I've already told you I won't say anything! Sheldon, I've been looking forward to this night for, well, forever! Are you're _still_ denying me the chance to dance with you?" She couldn't believe it. This night had been a roller coaster of emotions, and she wasn't sure she could take anymore of being lifted to incredible heights, only to free-fall, crashing on the rocks below.

"Now. . .I didn't say we should cancel _the night_." Sheldon waved a hand down his torso. "I didn't get dressed up in this monkey suit for nothing!" Staring at him, Amy was unable to grasp what he was getting at _this_ time. He shifted on the sofa, gaze darting about the semi-darkness of the living room. "I think we should end _this_ date. And start a new one," he added. Sheldon glanced over at her, and Amy could tell he was trying to judge her reaction. Smoothing down the skirt of her dress, she replied,

"I think that's a great idea." She started to pull her feet off his lap, but Sheldon hung on.

"Are you sure you feel well enough to get up? You still look a little pale to me."

"I'm feeling much better," she assured him. "Let's go up on the roof. The others have probably been there for awhile now." Gathering her skirt, Amy started to stand, until she felt Sheldon's hand on her arm. His touch was causing her to tingle again, and she wondered how she was going to dance with him, when a casual touch had electricity snapping through her.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked, warm palm still on her forearm. She couldn't think what he meant.

Her voice was pitched low. "I don't think so." Sheldon sighed, removing his hand from her, and placed both hands on his knees.

"Since Valentine's Day, how have we ended our dates?"

It took moment for Amy to catch on, but once she did, her grin stretched across her face. Sheldon wanted to kiss her! Heart rate increasing once more, Amy resisted the urge to draw in great lungfuls of air, knowing Sheldon would insist she lay back again. And no doubt call an end to prom night. And telling her a kiss was not advised in such a situation, because perhaps she was coming down with something.

Amy began leaning in towards Sheldon, and was surprised he broached half the distance. Often it was she who had to meet him more than half-way. His eyes were closed, and hers drifted shut as their lips met. By most people's reckoning, their kiss was chaste, but it didn't feel that way to her. After Sheldon's earlier declaration, his mouth on hers felt as though it was a new beginning, and it was hard to sit still as his lips pushed against hers with more enthusiasm than she'd experienced from him before.

Amy pulled back and stared at her boyfriend. "Sheldon!" she breathed. "Wow!" His eyes were blinking open, and the vacancy there left Amy thrilled. _I just knocked the socks off Sheldon Cooper!_

Sheldon swallowed as he blinked several more times. Clearing his throat, he chanced a glance at Amy and gave her a ghost of a smile. "I think maybe we should join the others."

Nodding, Amy stood and offered Sheldon her hand. He didn't take it, causing Amy to frown. _NOW what?_

"I have a proposal," he said, once again looking as if he was bracing himself for rejection. "Since we've ended one date, and are about to embark on another, I think we should re-boot it from the time it fell apart."

"I'm not sure where that was, exactly."

"Well," he said, hesitating, "For me it was when I first saw you in that dress." He quickly swept her with his gaze, then looked away again. Amy couldn't help the feeling of triumph at the thought of enticing her boyfriend. Even though he hadn't voiced it a second time, Amy now knew he found her pretty, and it was making her giddy.

Amy's voice was intentionally low. "So what's your proposal?" She watched Sheldon gulp. He'd been doing that a lot this evening, she noticed. It took a little bit, but he finally said,

"I think you should go back over to Penny's, and I'll come calling for you as if none of this had happened." Amy froze, her mouth hanging open. It hadn't even been fifteen minutes and already Sheldon was trying to take back his "I love you"?

Sheldon stared back at her, confused at her reaction. "Why would starting our date over be such a bad thing?"

Amy blinked. "Sheldon, you told me you loved me and now you're trying to take it back?"

It took a minute but Amy knew the moment Sheldon realized why she was upset. "Oh. Oh! You think because I want a reset, I want to pretend I didn't say all that mushy stuff to you."

"Isn't that what you mean?"

Waving his hand dismissively, Sheldon assured her, "That ship has sailed. No calling it back to port." _Was this some expression of remorse? _ "What I meant was, I want to put all of these panic attacks behind us. Get back to where we're comfortable. I want to look at you and not lose my breath." Had the words been in print, Amy would have found them incredibly romantic. However, with Sheldon's particular spin, they simply sounded eminently practical.

Standing, Sheldon adjusted his tie, then reached for his jacket from the back of the sofa. "Are you ready?" She nodded, surprised when he was now snapping his fingers at her. "Well, let's go! That party's not waiting for you to arrive to get started!"

Amy held back a wry smile. Sheldon's mercurial behavior shouldn't surprise her. After all, did she think him telling her he loved her was going to make the sun rise in the west?


	3. Chapter 3

**_3_**

Sheldon stood on his threshold, watching Amy cross the hall. Arriving at Penny's, she turned around to face him.

"No, no, no!" he protested. "You have to go into Penny's apartment so I can collect you as a proper date should!" Sheldon shook his head as he adjusted his suit coat once more. Amy had that silly, besotted grin on her face he'd come to associate with himself. She never smiled like that at anyone else. _And she better not! _he thought. There'd been that time when Leonard had escorted Amy to a wedding, where he'd shown some interest in his girlfriend. Good thing he nipped that in the bud!

It took four steps to cross the hall, and three knocks before Amy was standing in front of him once more. Maybe it was the dramatic flair with which she opened the door, maybe it was the sparkle in her eyes, but Sheldon felt his stomach clench and mouth go dry. He'd always found Amy attractive, but tonight she was especially so, and seeing her in that doorway for the second time this evening, drove home how beautiful she was, in every way.

Sheldon had a difficult time finding his voice, and it came out hoarse. "Good evening, Dr. Fowler."

Amy inclined her head. "Dr. Cooper."

Feeling a smile cross his lips at her use of his title, Sheldon offered Amy his arm. "May I escort you to the prom?" Amy was practically vibrating with excitement, her grin stretched from ear-to-ear as she slipped her arm through his. _This is how it should have been the first time_, Sheldon thought. _Even Leonard was more suave than I was! _

Walking beside Amy as they ascended towards the roof, he almost reached out and moved her hand from the crook of his arm to his hand, but stopped himself. There had been enough hippy activity today. He didn't need to go out of his way to add to it.

_Where on Earth had those four words come from?_ he wondered as they rounded the landing to the fifth floor. _It had to have been the panic attack_, he reasoned. _All that hyperventilating must have deprived my brain of much needed oxygen._ The sight of Amy in that dress certainly had taken his breath away. And now, thanks to his unbidden words, they were venturing on a whole other trajectory. And he was scared. Sure, she _said_ she wasn't expecting coitus at the end of the evening, but she'd also said she was _always_ hoping. Didn't one cancel out the other?

Amy looked up, smiling at him, and Sheldon felt his insides squirm again. If this was his reaction to a smile, what was he going to do when they were dancing? He knew there was no way he was going to be able to get out of it. Even if he had a viable excuse, his friends wouldn't let him leave Amy a second time in the same night. His biggest secret had been confessed, how much more difficult would it be to take her in his arms and dance with her? He knew all the steps, what was he so afraid of?

The door to the roof was open, and as they stepped onto the metal surface, Sheldon found he was impressed with the transformation Amy and Bernadette had wrought. Seeing them in the doorway, Penny cried,

"Look who's here!" Everyone turned, and cheered while Raj called out,

"Let's get this party started!" Some fast techno beat blasted from the massive speakers Howard had set up, and Sheldon realized he was going to have to shout for Amy to hear him. He certainly hoped the neighbors were feeling tolerant or the sound of sirens would be added to the bass.

Leaning forward to speak into Amy's ear, Sheldon felt her shiver as he spoke. "Would you like some punch?" It was really a clever ruse to get near the punch bowl so he might spike it, but as long as he was there he might as well get her a drink and kill several birds with one stone—add the pomegranate juice, and get Amy a beverage, while fulfilling his social obligation of being solicitous to his date. He was brilliant, as always.

Surreptitiously, Sheldon removed the flask from the pocket in his jacket. Casting a glance around the "dance floor," he noted everyone was either dancing or busy talking. That was when he spotted Amy talking to Penny. He had to get Amy away from her. While he believed Amy would keep her promise about not blabbing to Penny tonight, he didn't trust the blonde to not wheedle information out of his girlfriend. Amy was notoriously weak where Penny was concerned. Much like Leonard. One disapproving look from Penny and they both caved. Regardless who witnessed him adding the purple juice to the punch, Sheldon quickly emptied the flask, and tucked it back in his suit coat, heading over to Amy.

Without preamble, Sheldon burst in on their conversation. "Amy! May I have this dance?" At first he could see she was going to reprimand him for interrupting their conversation, then smile as his words sunk in.

"Penny, will you excuse us?"

"Sure," she said, crossing her arms, and leaning back on one foot to watch them. "I'd love to see you try to dance to this, Sheldon. You'll look like a bug on a hot skillet."

Taking his hand, Amy led him to where the others were dancing. "We'll show her, won't we?"

Once they were in the middle of the roof, Sheldon began to wonder if this had been his best course of action. He couldn't seem to find a beat, and he indeed felt as though he was an insect in contact with a hot surface. Amy wasn't doing much better, but didn't seem to care. He sincerely hoped "dancing" wasn't one of the criteria one was judged on when it came to the election of Prom King.

Mercifully, the song was short-lived, but DJ Raj pulled a fast one, and switched the tempo to some romantic song that was so slow, even swaying back and forth seemed like too much movement.

Sheldon felt trapped. There was no way he could gracefully decline the slow dance with Amy, and Raj had known that. Casting the grinning man a baleful stare, he wrapped his arm around Amy, resting his hand on the small of her back. There was no way he was going to let her hang off him like the rest of the women were doing with their dates. Even Stuart's companion, whom Sheldon had never met, seemed quite friendly with the former comic book purveyor.

"This is so romantic," Amy sighed, and made a move to loop her arms around his neck like Emily, Penny and Bernadette had with their men.

"Now, hold it right there, little lady. Just because the rest of these rubes don't know how to hold a proper dance frame, doesn't mean we have to follow their poor example."

"Fine," she huffed, straightening her back and putting some tension in her right arm. He could see she was disappointed, and it wasn't just the way she was eyeing the other couples dancing with their bodies touching. It was in the way her formerly smooth steps now seemed mechanical, like she was dancing with some clumsy thirteen year-old at his bar mitzvah. He'd resolved to give Amy a night she would remember, but wasn't dancing in itself a concession? Thankfully, the song ended and he could suggest they go visit the photo booth.

xxxxxx

Penny and Leonard ended their dance, heading for the refreshment table. Eyeing the selection, it wasn't difficult for Penny to realize Raj had volunteered to arrange for the food. _That man does have a talent_, she thought, and briefly wondered if she should put Raj in charge of their wedding reception. As soon as the thought entered her mind, she dismissed it, realizing all the food would consist of bad puns and sci-fi themes. Still, he'd done a nice job this evening and she would enjoy it.

Across the way, Penny watched Sheldon and Amy as they waited for their chance to have their picture taken, and was shocked to witness Sheldon's hand on Amy's back as he ushered her forward for their photo.

Roughly grabbing Leonard's arm, Penny barely controlled her volume. "Oh, my God, Leonard! Do you SEE that?" Looking around the rooftop, Leonard didn't seem to be witnessing what she was.

"What?" he asked, still not focusing in on where she was pointing.

"Sheldon and Amy!" she squeaked. Leonard turned to look at the couple, but still didn't seem to notice what was right in front of him.

Penny was fanning her face, blinking back tears. "He's got his hand on her back!"

"Huh. Would you look at that?" Leonard said, gazing at his fiancee. "Sheldon turned out to be a real boy after all."

"It's so touching he's being nice to her," Penny sighed, wondering why common curtesy should suddenly be considered romantic. But then again, it was _Sheldon._

Leaning in, Penny whispered, "You know, after all the coaching I was giving Amy, I was starting to feel like a sex ed teacher."

"Sheldon was asking me a lot of questions too. Not about what to do—like that's ever going to happen! More about the usual expectations that come with prom. I think he really doesn't want to disappoint Amy." Just then Bernadette walked up, helping herself to a glass of punch.

"How come this stuff is such a weird color?"

"It was Sheldon," Leonard said, taking a sip from his own cup.

Holding her glass up to the light and inspecting the liquid, Bernadette sounded incredulous. "_Sheldon_ spiked the punch?"

"Don't worry," Leonard said. "It's just pomegranate juice. That's why it's that strange purple color."

Bernadette took a tentative taste. "It's actually pretty good. But why. . ."

"He's trying to have every prom experience in one night. Probably so he doesn't ever have to do it again," Leonard informed her.

"_Every_ prom experience?" Bernie said, raising her eyebrows at Penny.

"Well, every one but that," she said.

"Hmmm," Bernadette merely hummed, twisting back and forth. "Amy looks happy. I'm glad. If it wasn't her and Sheldon, I would have suspected they'd had a quickie." Penny choked on her punch which, unfortunately, she had just taken a drink of. Once she caught her breath, she turned to Bernadette.

"I don't think it's as far out as it used to be."

Suddenly, Bernadette's attention was riveted to her. "Did she say something? Did _he_ say something?"

Penny finished off her drink, setting the empty glass on the end of the table. "Not in so many words, but look at them! Have you ever seen Sheldon be so attentive to her?"

"You're right. It's almost like he's realized it's a real date or something," Bernadette agreed.

Leonard leaned over, giving Penny's cheek a kiss. "I'm gonna go talk to the guys for a minute." Squeezing his hand, Penny smiled her farewell.

"I've got an idea," Bernie said, drawing her in closer. "Let's make sure Sheldon and Amy win as King and Queen."

"Really? You don't think with all the charm that is Sheldon Cooper, he couldn't win on his own?"

Bernadette lightly slapped her arm. "Come on! Amy deserves this! And if Sheldon wins as well, there's nothing we can do about it." She had a point, Penny thought. If Sheldon _didn't_ win, he'd go on endlessly about how it's a stupid tradition, and the whole prom idea was stupid and how he'd been tricked by Amy to waste his time with something they all should have been over years ago.

On the other hand, a smug Sheldon could be just as insufferable. The difference being, Amy's dreams wouldn't be crushed. She could live with a little more arrogance from Sheldon for Amy's sake, she reasoned. There was always more wine out there.

"Okay, so how do we do this?" Penny asked.

Bernadette was already gathering ballots from the tote they'd used to transport decorations for the party. "We'll pass these out, _encouraging _people to vote for Sheldon and Amy, and if they don't, we'll just say they won anyway."

"I guess," Penny conceded, her voice lacking any enthusiasm.

The look on Bernadette's face turned into a scowl. "What?"

Penny fluffed the hem of her dress. "Well, it's just that I thought it would be nice if Leonard could be king."

"Oh, and then you'd get to be queen again, is that it?" Bernie growled.

"Well, I suppose, but that's not why. . ."

"Listen miss I've-been-to-seven-proms! It's Amy's turn! I'd say it was mine, but I'm married!" All of Bernadette's shouting must have been heard over the music, because now everyone was looking at them. Casting a glance at Penny, Bernadette smiled sweetly and announced,

"It's time to vote for King and Queen!" Bernie thrust a stack of cards printed with everyone's names into Penny's hand. She knew Bernadette was right, that Amy deserved some attention, but so did Leonard and the rest of them. She wished she could think of a way they could all win, but that wasn't an option. Passing out cards, Penny gave no "recommendations" for whom to vote for. She was fairly certain each couple would be voting for themselves.

Taking a seat on one of the lawn chairs that had been set up, Penny joined Leonard, his card still blank. Leaning over, he spoke quietly.

"Look, I know it's not ethical or anything, but I was thinking Sheldon and Amy. . ."

"Already taken care of," she answered, looking in the opposite direction as she spoke to him, like a spy at a rendezvous. Turning to face him, Penny saw Leonard marking his card for his roommate.

"Just in case no one believes he was voted for," he said with a wry grin. Penny showed him her card.

"Just so you know who I really wanted to win." Leonard's eyes were shining as she leaned over, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. "You'll always be my prom king," she whispered.

Bernadette came back around to collect the cards, glaring at Penny as she noted her selections. "It doesn't matter," she whispered to her through gritted teeth. "You can change it to whoever you want."

Tapping the cards on the refreshment table, Bernadette made a show of dividing the cards into two, then three piles. One had noticeably more cards, and Penny surmised it was the fake Sheldon and Amy pile.

Watching every move Bernadette was making, Amy was practically bouncing on her toes. "Who is it?" Amy asked excitedly, and Penny suddenly felt better about what they'd planned.

"Hold on!" Bernie barked, then forced a smile, her voice instantly lighter. "The King and Queen of the 'Enchantment Under the Stars' prom is. . . ." She paused for dramatic effect, then announced, "Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler!" The crowd didn't exactly go wild, but there was at least polite applause, and Sheldon looked like he was about to burst.

"Oh I _knew_ it!" he crowed. "This is the most magical night _ever!" _Sheldon ran forward, leaving Amy where they'd been standing on the dance floor, but then he stopped, turning around to include her. Extending his hand, he took hers and they quickly walked to where Bernadette was standing with two chintzy party store plastic crowns.

"Oh, my, God!" Penny issued again. The phrase seemed to be all she could say where Sheldon and Amy were concerned. Leonard looked over at her, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Okay, that one I saw. I can't believe he waited for her!" He watched Sheldon with his mouth hanging open. "Sheldon really _did_ come as an alien," he muttered. "He's been body-snatched."

"Stop it!" she hissed. "At least he remembered her!"

Amy and Sheldon stood facing their gathered friends, and Penny mused it was Sheldon who looked more like Cinderella than Amy did, standing there with his hands clenched into fists, bobbing with excitement and gushing over the honor. Right before he broke into some pseudo acceptance speech.

"I can't thank you enough for this honor! Not that it wasn't expected." He flinched and Penny noted Amy's elbow was near his ribs. "Well,_ we_ thought it was inevitable," he added. There was another jab and Sheldon let out an exaggerated "ow! What is it _now?_ I didn't leave you out!"

"Sheldon," she hissed, "A little humility will go a long way."

"Okay, fine," he sighed. "We'd like to thank you for this honor." His voice was deadpan. Looking back at his date, he didn't even bother to lower his voice. "Happy now?" Amy was all smiles as she sidled up to him, grasping his arm.

Bernadette placed a crown on Amy's head, and if it was possible, she smiled even broader. Sheldon had to practically get on his knees for Bernie to place his crown, but he was so jubilant he didn't even complain.

"Thank you all again, " Sheldon began, "But I would like to remind you all, the title of 'King' is hereditary, not an elected office. In fact. . ."

"Raj! Bernadette snapped, "I think it's time for their dance!"

"Right!" he called, not needing any encouragement to distract Sheldon.

"But I'm not finished with my acceptance speech!" Sheldon wailed.

"Yeah, yeah, we all know it's technically incorrect," Penny said, shooing him towards the dance area. "Just go dance with Amy." Surprisingly, that had elicited a tender smile, and Penny was beginning to wonder if Leonard's theory of body snatching didn't have some basis in fact.

Sheldon turned to his date, offering his hand, and shyly asking, "Amy? May I have this dance?" The strains of "_The Way You Look Tonight" _wafted from the speakers as she took his hand, still smiling so much, Penny wondered if Amy's face wasn't going to hurt the next day. With a flourish, Sheldon spun Amy around, and pulled her in to take a standard dance position. Then it all seemed to fall apart. Sheldon moved forward, but Amy didn't seem to step back in time to the music and she was suddenly all left feet. Penny hadn't been watching them earlier, but she _had_ seen the two of them dancing the cha-cha before. True, this was a different rhythm, but it seemed as though Amy was marching to her own beat.

xxxxxx

Sheldon pulled Amy in a little closer, tightening his left arm to give her a little more structure. "Relax," he said softly, causing Amy to look up at him. Her doubtful face made his heart ache, and he knew how she felt. Finally having the spotlight, and she felt she was blowing it.

"It's a foxtrot," he coached.

"I've never danced a foxtrot before," she said, her eyes impossibly wide.

Sheldon smiled. "It's not that hard. When I move forward, you back up." He took two steps forward, then one to the left, pulling his other foot over to change weight and begin the sequence again. Amy still seemed to have her weight on the wrong feet, so he stopped.

"They rhythm is slow, slow, quick, quick. Or side, together if you prefer."

Amy was looking at her feet. "This is so embarrassing," she mumbled.

"You're doing fine," he encouraged. "Now, don't look at your feet. Look at me and we'll try it again." Amy gave him a ghost of a smile, the one that always drove him a little crazy, and Sheldon hoped he didn't get so distracted that _he_ became the one fumbling for footing.

Concentrating on the song, he moved forward, quietly calling out the steps for her. "Slow, slow, side, together." After a few reputations, she had the beat and he simply moved with her. With each step, she gained more confidence and her tiny smile grew.

"I think I've got it!"

"You do indeed, Amy Farrah Fowler," he smiled down at her.

Amy's face turned a delicate shade of pink. "Why do I think you're not talking about the dance?" she whispered.

Leaning closer, he spoke softly into her ear. "Because you'd be right. And you really do look lovely." Suddenly, he felt a little hesitant. _Where was all this clap-trap coming from, anyway?_ Years ago he'd teasingly called her a vixen, but tonight she really was acting the part. Maybe it was the relief to have finally voiced what he'd suspected for some time now.

He distinctly remembered the day he'd figured out he loved her. They'd just finished a late night Skype session before bed, and he'd been mulling over their conversation as he went through his night time rituals. There'd been a mild argument, but he'd talked Amy around to his point of view and was feeling triumphant. It wasn't until he was replaying their exchange over in his thoughts, he realized she had been pretending to disagree with him to get him to expound on what she already knew. She'd been playing with him, and rather than be angry, as he would have been if say Leonard or one of the others had done the same thing, he found it endearing. And _that_ had been the eye-opener. He'd pulled out a notebook, filling the page with doodles and equations. He looked over his work three times. It _wasn't_ a brain parasite. If the evidence was to be believed, he was in love with Amy.

He couldn't _tell_ her of course. In the first place he wasn't entirely convinced there wasn't some other explanation for why he felt so happy when he was in a room with her. It could be his innate knowledge she had Yoo Hoo in her refrigerator. Or that she'd tossed out the strawberry Quik syrup in favor of the powder. Just because he looked forward to seeing her didn't mean he was in love with her.

But as the weeks went by, he seemed to find fewer and fewer alternative explanations, and he'd come to accept what he felt for Amy was love. And there was _no way_ she could ever find out, or she would forever pester him to have coitus. The idea was no longer as off-putting as it had once been, but that didn't mean he was ready to plan a boy/girl sleep-over. Even after all the strides they'd made so far this evening, he still wasn't ready.

"Thank you, Sheldon," Amy said, even pinker than a moment ago, and her words fractured his reverie. The song was ending and before they could end their solo dance, Raj started another tune, this one much faster. Soon, the others were joining them, moving enthusiastically to the beat. And if there were a few wild elbows and knees in their dance moves, no one seemed to care.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N-Thanks for the reviews. They're much appreciated!_

**_4_**

Amy stood near the refreshment table, grateful to have a respite from the non-stop dancing. Who would have ever thought she'd have to take a break from dancing too much with a boy? Not her sixteen year-old self, that's who! Surprisingly, Sheldon had been an enthusiastic parter, as well as an excellent coach. She'd learned the rudiments of foxtrot, the difference between a rhumba and a cha cha, and even a smoother way to waltz. After the display of his dance prowess, she might even convince him to go dancing on some random date night!

Reaching for a glass to help herself to some punch, Amy jumped in surprise when Penny was suddenly by her side.

"Having a good time?" Penny asked, her grin so smug Amy knew she already had her answer. She obliged nonetheless.

"Oh, yes!" Amy breathed. "This night has turned out better than my prom would have ever been, even if I had been asked!"

Penny ladled some of the strange purple beverage into her own cup, then clinked her glass with Amy's. "Here's to successful do-overs!"

"Cheers!" Amy said, accepting the toast and taking a sip.

"Soooo," Penny said, nudging Amy's shoulder with her own. "You and Sheldon were looking pret-ty good out there. . . ."

"Yes. He has a superior dance frame, which allows me to be led so easily. Or so he tells me."

Penny seemed to have choked on her punch. "Honey, you would go _anywhere_ Sheldon led."

Amy sighed. "Yes, sadly that is true." She couldn't help but notice Sheldon's hand gestures as he was animatedly talking with Howard. She couldn't hear the conversation, but they both were obviously worked up. _His hands are so elegant,_ Amy thought, and wondered if he'd ever tried playing a musical instrument other than the theremin.

"Ames?" Penny called, snapping her fingers in front of her face. "You kinda checked out there."

"Oh. Sorry," she said dreamily, still staring at Sheldon. He happened to look up at that point and smiled at her, causing Amy to look coyly away. Penny looked first at Amy, then over at Sheldon and then back at Amy. Putting her cup down with more force than necessary, Penny said,

"Okay, what gives? You've been on cloud nine all night and Sheldon has been this amazing, attentive date."

Amy rocked back and forth. "I would think you have your answer. He's been an amazingly attentive date."

Squinting and pointing her finger, Amy felt Penny zeroing for the kill. "No, that's not it, or all of it, anyway. You're hiding something. . . ."

Amy gulped. She'd _promised_ Sheldon she'd keep his secret tonight no matter what, and even though she was dying to tell her bestie the biggest news of her life, she couldn't. Not until one minute after midnight when it technically would no longer be "tonight."

Just then Bernadette walked by with Emily, and Amy leaped at the chance to change the subject. "Hey, Girlfriend! Did we rock this prom thing or what?" She held up her palm in anticipation of a "high five", but it took a moment before Bernadette softly touched her small hand to Amy's upraised one.

"Yeah, it turned out good. . . ." Bernie said, casting Penny a confused look. Before Penny could respond, Amy saw Sheldon crossing the roof, making it to her in a few strides.

"Amy, Raj said he's about to play the last song of the night. We have to dance." Taking her hand and pulling her back to the dance area, Amy grew angry.

"Sheldon, that was incredibly rude! I was talking to my friends!"

He pulled her around in front of him. "And how long before those clucking hens wormed our secret out of you? You forget, I know how conniving Penny can be!"

"And you don't give me enough credit! I would have found a way to keep her suspicions at bay without creating more!"

Sheldon stood before her, taking both her hands in his, looking contrite. "You're right. It's just that the guys have been working me over so bad, I thought the girls were doing the same thing to you."

Amy felt her throat constrict. "And you came to rescue me?"

"Well, I wasn't going to spin a web and whisk you from the roof top, but I thought I could keep them from being the Nosy Nellies I know they can be."

In her heart, Amy knew he was trying to do the right thing. "In that case, Sheldon. I forgive you."

"Forgive _me_?! You should be _thanking_ me!"

Amy tugged on his right hand. "Dance with me?" She smiled as seductively as she knew how, and apparently it was working.

"We have to wait until there's music," he needlessly reminded her, but returned her grin with a bemused smile of his own.

xxxxxx

Raj was scrolling through the music on his phone, arguing with Howard.

"I know it's on here!"

"Just play anything! It doesn't matter!"

"Dude! It has to be special!" Raj insisted, still running his finger over the screen of his phone. "Wait! Here it is!" Speaking into the microphone, Raj announced,

"Okay, everybody! Last dance of the night! In honor of our _elected_ King Sheldon, this is a song from the band who took its name from the motto of his home state. Here's _Lonestar_."

Bernadette marched over to where Rajesh was working as DJ, grabbing him by the arm. "Hey! I thought we agreed the last song was going to be '_Save The Last Dance_'!"

Sheldon saw Amy looking around him, watching the two arguing, but didn't seem to be making out what they were saying, until Bernadette shouted, "Fine!" which everyone appeared to have heard as she stalked over to where her husband was standing, looking slightly intimidated.

"Alright, then!" Raj cried, rubbing his hands. "Everybody, please join your fellow party goers for the last dance of Prom 2014!"

The first few strains of the song flowed from the speakers, but Amy looked confused. "Do you know what this song is?"

Sheldon nodded and took Amy in his arms, staring over her head to glare at Raj. The song was incredibly sappy, especially in light of his earlier confession. Not that "_Save The Last Dance_" would have been much of an improvement.

Looking around, he saw couples taking taking to the dance floor, but rather than execute a proper stance, the women again had their hands draped around their partner's necks, bodies pressed up against each other, and either staring into each other's eyes or in the case of Bernadette and Howard, she had her head on his chest. Sheldon had to work on beating back the butterflies that were once again ravaging his stomach. This was how Amy had first attempted to dance with him before he'd set her straight. It would mean a lot to her, he knew, if they danced that way. He didn't want to. They'd be much too close to each other, and what if the others saw them like that in public? If he thought it likely their earlier behavior was going to generate gossip, what would this adolescent form of dancing do? Amy flashed him _that_ smile, and all his good sense evaporated. He could endure a few minutes of Hell for her, couldn't he?

Sheldon dropped Amy's hand, causing her to look up sharply, but before she could protest, he took her by both her wrists, placing her hands behind his neck, resting his hands on her hips. She froze momentarily at the shift in their positions, then suddenly smiled so wide, he thought she'd combust. One thing he hadn't counted on was her snuggling into his chest. He stiffened at the unexpected full-body contact, then, after a few tense moments, decided it wasn't so bad. This was his Amy, and to his extreme surprise, dancing like this with her had turned out to be rather pleasant.

"Thank you, Sheldon," Amy whispered into his chest. He could feel her damp breath through the cotton of his shirt and shivered slightly, realizing it had nothing to do with the ambient temperature on the roof.

"You're welcome," he whispered back, his breath stirring her hair just as the singer reminded them:

_". . .Every little thing that you do, Baby I'm amazed by you. . ."_ And he was.


	5. Chapter 5

**_5_**

Amy descended the staircase, blissful smile on her face. The night had felt like a fairytale, and she didn't want to leave the ball. Still, the evening had clearly ended and she had to prepare herself to leave. Surprisingly, Sheldon continued to hold her hand as they turned on the landing to the final set of stairs, stating the treads were treacherous "in those ridiculous heels," and he needed to steady her. Well, that part was certainly true. Amy's knees were weak, not only with all the dancing, but the ways in which Sheldon continued to surprise her. She didn't need an eidetic memory to have the entire night burned into her consciousness.

Reaching the last step, Amy turned to Sheldon. "I have to retrieve my coat from Penny's bed before she and Leonard return and defile it and every other surface in her apartment."

"Every other surface!" he screeched. "What are you _saying, _Woman?!"

Amy answered him matter-of-factly. "Most couples find having relations in a single area somewhat stifles creativity when it comes to love making. Hence, choosing different locations throughout the domicile, to engage in amorous activities."

"What kind of locations?" he questioned, as Amy noticed him visibly pale. She thought about some of the stories Penny had told on girls night.

"The sofa, the floor, kitchen counters. . ."

"That's quite enough!" Sheldon cried, looking as though he was about to be sick. "I can never eat there again. Or anything that comes from that apartment! Not that I have to worry. It will be Armageddon before she actually cooks." Suddenly, he stopped, as if a thought entered his mind. He looked blank for a second, then back at her, eyes wide with panic. "They never. . . . Not in my apartment. . . ."

Amy had never _heard_ of any specific escapades taking place in Sheldon and Leonard's apartment, but she wouldn't have put it past her passionate friends. She couldn't tell Sheldon she even _suspected_ Leonard and Penny's "activities" extended beyond the bedroom or he'd move. Which, on second thought, wouldn't be all bad.

"I'm getting my coat," she repeated. "I'll be right back." Amy moved to Penny's bed room as quickly as her painful feet would allow. The sooner she returned to Sheldon, the faster she could distract him from obsessing on sanitizing every surface in his home.

"Got it!" she proclaimed, holding up her jacket. At first Sheldon just stood there, not taking it from her. Wiggling it in front of him, he still didn't take the hint. Finally, Amy had to ask for what she wanted. "Could you help me put it on?" She was perfectly capable, but she wanted to feel Sheldon's fingers on her one last time. Besides, a gentleman helped a lady with her coat.

Sheldon was now staring at the floor, hands jammed into his pants pockets, looking ill at ease. Not as uncomfortable as earlier when he'd bolted for the safety of his room, but not as relaxed as she'd seen him during the dance.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. Maybe he wasn't sure of the exit protocol after a formal dance?

"Would you like to come in for a nightcap?" he suddenly blurted.

Amy felt her lips curve up into a tiny smile. "Sheldon, if I have any alcohol, I won't be able to drive. Leonard is going to be busy with Penny, and you don't drive. I'd have to spend the night. . . ."

Sheldon's gaze snapped back to her. "Oh no you don't, little lady! You promised me you weren't going to pressure me about sex! And besides, I was talking about _tea_!"

"'Nightcap' implies an alcoholic beverage, and possibly more," she said, feeling her face grow warm. "If you meant tea, you should have offered tea."

Sheldon sighed. "Very well. Amy, would you like to come in for some _tea_?"

"Why yes, Sheldon, I would, thank you." She followed him into his apartment, and waited for instruction. For all her bravado in correcting Sheldon, Amy now felt a little uncertain. Should she join him in the kitchen, taking a seat at the counter as he went through his routine? Did she wait for him to invite her to have a seat in a specific location? Just take her usual spot on the sofa? After looking around the room at her options, Amy chose the sofa, tossing her coat on the back of Leonard's desk chair. She was about to sit when Amy heard the apartment door open as Leonard stuck his head in.

"I'm going over to Penny's," he said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. "For the night," he added, as if there was a doubt.

Sheldon bowed slightly to his roommate. "Then good evening to you, sir." Leonard cast a glance between her and Sheldon, and started to grin.

"You kids have fun!" Sheldon moved closer to him, repeating his farewell, a little louder this time.

"A good evening to you, Leonard."

"Um, yeah. Amy, great job with the party." She nodded her thanks and watched as Sheldon took another step forward causing Leonard to hastily exit. Amy struggled to keep from smiling as she watched Sheldon chase Leonard from the apartment. The knowledge Sheldon wanted to be alone with her was starting to make her feel light headed again.

Truly, when she was getting ready earlier this prevening, Amy didn't have any major expectations. She wanted to have fun, she wanted to dance with Sheldon, and she wanted her friends to witness her dancing with him so they'd lighten up on some of their teasing. The needling would never completely go away, but it would be nice not to be the brunt of the jokes for once. Sheldon's actions this night had far surpassed anything she'd imagined. Not the least of which was his matter-of-fact declaration of love.

Amy watched Sheldon straighten up, remove his suit coat and carefully place it on the back of his desk chair. He seemed to be fiddling, aligning items on his already neat work surface. She understood the way he felt. She wasn't quite sure what to do with herself either. After the all the emotional highs, she kind of felt like she was hung out, flapping in the wind, unsure what her next move should be.

Amy stood, crossing the room into the kitchen. "Let me help you with that tea," she offered. Reaching for the tea kettle, she was surprised when Sheldon was suddenly by her side.

"Are you in a hurry to go?"

She looked up at him, startled. "No! Of course not! It just seemed like you were a little distracted." He nodded.

"I am," he admitted, not meeting her gaze. "I'm just not sure where we go from here."

"I feel the same way," she quietly admitted. "Tonight was kind of a big step."

Sheldon looked at her, his eyes shining. "It was. I wasn't going to tell you. I was never going to tell you." Amy was moving towards the stove when she stopped mid-stride, turning to look back at him.

"What do you mean you were never going to tell me?"

"Just what I said. If I told you I loved you then you'd think I was ready for things to move at a faster pace and I'm not!" Amy set the kettle down on the burner with a heavy clank. She was angry Sheldon still didn't trust her enough to rein in her hormones. The only thing she could think to do was show him she wasn't some sex-crazed monster.

Taking a deep breath, she released it, gazing into his eyes. "Sheldon," she started, "I'm not any more sure of where we go from here than you are. I'm just as scared as you," she confessed. "You were braver than me! I couldn't even get the words out, and yet you said them."

A small smile began to bloom on Sheldon's face. "I did, didn't I?"

Amy felt her lips curling up as well. "You did."

"And I was the one to take care of you when you had a panic attack!"

Closing her eyes briefly, Amy agreed. "You did."

Sheldon gave a dismissive wave. "You're right. I've got this." Amy smiled at his back, shaking her head as Sheldon went about fixing their mugs. She saw him place a camomile bag in his blue mug, then hesitate over hers.

"What would you like?"

"In keeping with the theme of the night, why don't you surprise me?" Sheldon's grin grew mischievous as he plopped two bags into her cup. The kettle was beginning it's tell-tale gurgle, and Sheldon pulled it off the heat before the water became too hot. Filling their mugs, he handed Amy hers and nodded towards the sofa.

Once settled, Amy turned to see Sheldon watching her every move. It was slightly disconcerting to be scrutinized so closely, but a little flattering as well. She wasn't stupid. She knew Sheldon watched her as much as she watched him, and the knowledge he found her attractive was heady.

Sheldon blew on his cup. "Go ahead. Guess what's in your mug." He was wiggling around on the sofa, sure he'd stumped her, but Amy knew her way around tea. Taking a small sip, she allowed the flavors to play over her tongue. She could taste licorice and the slightly musty taste of camomile.

"I taste the camomile," she started, but there's something else there as well.

"Of course there is," he sighed. "You saw me put two bags in your mug. Besides, you know camomile is my 'go to' tea."

She nodded. "I also taste licorice, but it's not bitter like licorice root. I'm going to go with anise."

Sheldon was glowing with pride. "Very good, Amy! That's my smart girl!" Amy felt herself blushing with his compliment and took another sip of tea to hide her embarrassment. _ Definitely anise_, she decided. And just like she and Sheldon, the two complimented each other nicely.

"Did you know anise has calming properties as well? That's a cup full of relaxation there, little lady," he said holding up his mug in a salute. "After the night you've had you could do with some calm," he added, drinking more of his own beverage.

Swallowing her drink, Amy leaned in a little closer, as if sharing a secret. "Anise seed is also known as an aphrodisiac," she informed him.

Sheldon suddenly sat up straighter, taking the mug from her hand. "That's quite enough of that for you!"

Amy started laughing. "You're the one who gave it to me. Are you sure you're not trying to tell me something?" she teased.

"You know perfectly well this was what I was trying to avoid!" he cried, setting her cup on the coffee table out of her reach.

"Maybe I should go," she said. The tension was growing between them again and she wanted to end the most magical night of her life on a good note. She started to rise, but Sheldon's hand on her forearm stopped her. His touch was gentle, but she felt it everywhere as his fingers absently stroked her skin.

"You don't have to go," he said so quietly she almost missed it. Somewhere in the course of their conversation, they'd moved closer together and now mere inches separated them.

Staring into his eyes, Amy felt the breath leave her lungs. "It was a wonderful night," she managed, running her tongue around her now suddenly dry lips and mouth. She saw Sheldon watching the motion through half-lidded eyes.

"Extraordinary," he agreed, closing the short distance between them. He stopped just short of her mouth. "Amy?"

"Yes, Sheldon?"

"May I kiss you?" She nodded, unable to speak. Her heart was thudding so loudly that if he said anything else, she didn't hear it for the blood pounding in her ears. His lips were soft on hers at first, then she felt the pressure increasing as he scooted closer still, wrapping his arms around her. This was as close as he'd ever been to her, outside of their last dance, and she found blood was now pounding elsewhere in her body.

Sheldon pulled back slightly, then gave her lips several small pecks before pressing his lips to hers once more. Amy was beginning to wonder if he hadn't added some anise to his own tea, as she'd never seen him so amorous. This was all so much. So much more than she'd expected a few short hours ago. His head rested against her forehead as he slipped a hand into her hair, fingers grazing her ear. The sensation was electrifying and Amy didn't realize it was her that had made the slight moaning sound.

Sheldon's breathing was erratic, but he remained where he was, so close they were sharing the same air. Amy watched hungrily as Sheldon's tongue darted out to moisten his own dry lips. What would it be like to kiss him, _really_ kiss him, tangling her tongue with his? Just as she was sure she would never know, Sheldon pulled back slightly to gaze into her eyes, fingers still woven in her hair.

"Amy, I want to try an experiment." If it was possible, her already elevated heart rate increased.

"O. . .okay," she managed, unsure where he was going with this, and not altogether sure she was ready. He closed his eyes, as if seeking the courage to forge ahead.

"I. . .I want to kiss you."

Amy smiled. "You've already kissed me."

"No," he breathed. "I mean. . .open mouthed." Once the words were out, he looked relieved, as if voicing his request had been half the battle. Amy was shocked. She'd hoped one day Sheldon would be comfortable enough with her to move their intimacy forward, but she hadn't expected it to be this day. Not after all the hurdles they'd already cleared this night. Maybe that was his plan, she thought. Get as many big obstacles out of the way as possible.

Regardless, she wanted this. She wanted to feel that connected to him. To express all he made her feel so he would never question her commitment to him. He knew she loved him, but did he know how much?

"Are you sure?" she asked, mentally preparing herself for him to rescind his offer.

"Yes," he said, eyes closed, looking anything but sure.

"We'll start slow," she said, and wondered if she was trying to allay his fears or her own. Leaning towards him, they started the kiss in their usual fashion, with lips mashed against one another. Tentatively, Amy touched his lips with the tip of her tongue, causing him to jump. She was sure that would be the end, but after a moment, Sheldon's lips parted slightly and his own tongue tentatively touched hers. He gave another slight jolt, but didn't move away from her.

Drawing in a breath through her nose, Amy opened a little wider, and Sheldon did the same, this time their tongues came in full contact with each other. She could taste his camomile tea, and a bit of chocolate from the truffle he'd consumed earlier, and something that was uniquely him. Amy was lost. Somewhere during their kiss Sheldon's other hand had found it's way into her hair and he was cradling her head gently, but firmly, as if she was a fragile piece of glass.

He ended the kiss when he needed to breathe, looking suddenly shy considering how close they'd just been. Smoothing her hair back from her face, he trailed his fingers over her cheek, moving his hands down her arms to clasp her hands.

"Wow," Amy said, feeling the need to break the silence that had fallen between them. Sheldon gave a little swallow and nodded as he lightly squeezed her hands. She wanted to touch him, run her fingers through his hair as he had hers, but she sensed now might not be the right time. He had a lot to deal with. They both did. Maybe it would be best if she ended their evening and went home. For once she was anticipating the drive from Los Robles to Glendale, giving her a chance to reflect on all that had occurred.

"Sheldon, I think I'm going to go," she announced, standing and crossing to the chair where she'd left her coat. Before she could slip her arms into the sleeves, he was there, holding the garment for her. Flipping her hair out from underneath her collar, she turned, smiling her thanks at his assistance. He returned the grin, still looking a little off. She didn't want to go, didn't want the night to end, but her earlier judgement had been right—they both could use a bit of space at the moment.

Standing by the door, Amy bid him farewell. "Thank you for a wonderful night, Sheldon. I never could have imagined it could be so special."

He nodded. "It was for me too." He was looking around the apartment, not meeting her gaze, then added. "You looked beautiful, Amy."

Amy thought her heart would burst and it took all her willpower not to fling her arms around him and start kissing him again. Instead, she simply acknowledged his compliment.

"Thank you, Sheldon." She opened the door and was about to exit when she felt a hand on her shoulder, pulling her back around. Looking up, she saw Sheldon standing there with his lips pursed. Quelling a smile she leaned forward and gave him a quick peck.

"Good night, Dr. Cooper."

"And to you as well, Dr. Fowler."

xxxxxxx

Sheldon shut his door and gave a little sigh, surprised he was feeling a bit bereft now that Amy had gone. Six hours ago, he would have laid good odds he would have been completely relieved the night was over, with all the romantic nonsense associated with it. But he didn't feel that way. In fact, he wasn't sure what he felt. Slightly foolish for having confessed loving Amy, and yet somehow lighter knowing he wasn't keeping a secret from her.

"Must be all that pomegranate juice," he mused as he picked up their mugs. He was rinsing them out when he heard the sound of an incoming text message. Picking up the phone, he saw it was from Amy and wondered what could have possibly happened between his apartment and her car. He clicked on the message and read:

**_Thank you for the best night of my life!_**

Smiling, Sheldon imagined his cute little lump of wool sitting in her parked car, tapping on her phone, and sent a return message:

**_For now. . . ._**

**The End**

_Thank you for reading and the reviews! If you're interested in the full song from the last dance of the prom, it's "Amazed" by Lonestar, and is available on iTunes._


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